Former Pakistan cricketer Salman Butt reckons that people are expecting Babar Azam to play a style of cricket that doesn’t suit him. Babar’s strike rate, especially in T20Is, has often been discussed, with many critics saying he should bat more aggressively.
However, Salman feels those expectations are unfair. He said Babar’s biggest strengths are his timing, shot selection, and consistency, not hitting sixes regularly. According to him, trying to turn Babar into a power-hitter could end up hurting his game.
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Babar's performance in PSL 2026
Babar answered his critics in style during the 2026 Pakistan Super League. He played a major role in helping Peshawar Zalmi win the title and finished as the tournament’s highest run-scorer.
The right-hander scored 588 runs in 11 matches, including two centuries and three fifties. He averaged 73.50 and batted at a strike rate of 145.90, delivering several match-winning performances throughout the tournament.
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He carried the same form into international cricket. In Pakistan’s one-off Test against Bangladesh, Babar scored 115 runs across both innings, with a highest score of 68 and an average of 57.50.
The 31-year-old also impressed in the three-match ODI series against Australia, where he scored 125 runs at an average of 41.66. His best score of 69 once again showed his ability to build an innings while making an important contribution at the top of the order.
Babar Azam's upcoming outing
Pakistan will next tour the West Indies for a two-match Test series, which will be played in Trinidad and Tobago from July 25 to August 6. With Babar in good form across formats, Pakistan will be hoping their star batter continues his run-scoring touch and helps the team make a strong start to the overseas tour.